When choosing countertops, color is an important consideration that’s often overlooked, says architect Peter Pfeiffer of Barley & Pfeiffer in Austin, Texas. “We encourage our clients to choose as light a color as possible to enhance lighting in the kitchen,” he says. A brighter kitchen requires less artificial light and lighter surfaces don’t hold heat like darker ones can. “In turn, that reduces electricity consumption and air-conditioning costs. The less light you use, the less electricity you consume and the less heat you consume with your air conditioning.”